[3830] CQ160 CW N4KG Single Op Assisted HP

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                    CQ 160-Meter Contest, CW

Call: N4KG
Operator(s): N4KG
Station: N4KG

Class: Single Op Assisted HP
QTH: ALA
Operating Time (hrs): 18

Summary:
Total:  QSOs = 526  State/Prov = 56  Countries = 67  Total Score = 283,023

Club: Alabama Contest Group

Comments:

WOW!  These were the Best Conditions I have ever heard (or remember) for this
contest. I came in at sunset from running a replacement wire into the woods and
the first 3 stations I heard were Loud Europeans.  That did it, this was going
to be a DX / Multiplier Contest for me.

The 3 previous nights had exhibited excellent propagation (negating the N4KG
theorom that there are never 2 good nights in a row on 160M).  Friday evening
had 3 hours of Strong Signals from Europe from 2330 to 0230Z with weaker but
still workable signals the rest of the evening.  The Biggest and BEST highlight
of the contest was hearing and finally working EY8MM for an all time New One.  I
never could hear the UN / UP stations.

Saturday night started off with noticably reduced signals from Europe, but they
were still workable with a little more calling.  Foolishly I took a 2 hour break
from this activity to return to find improved signals from Europe.

Both nights were extremely QUIET at my location and it was easier to copy the
weaker signals on my Transmit Antenna (an Inverted L supported by an 80 ft tree
in the woods with 50? radials).

In retrospect, I would like to have put in a few more hours and spent more time
CQing, especially during the EU and JA openings.  Only 3 runs, with 98 Q's in
the last hour of the contest from 3 to 4 pm CST (2 hours before sunset).

Radio: Icom 746 with cascaded 500 Hz filters.  Definitely could have used a
narrow CW filter, even with PBT engaged.

Antenna 1 - Inverted L at 80 ft apex with 50 radials
Antenna 2 - Elevated GP (140 ft of Rohn 25) with 6 elevated radials
Parasitic Relfector (130 ft R35 tower with 3L15 on top) located between
Antenna 1 and Antenna 2 - produces 10 dB F/B beaming East and NorthWest
(It took several Years before I recognized this problem and installed 
the Inverted L the week AFTER missing ST0RY several nights in a row!)

Stats QSO  Multipliers

USA   338  48/49 heard but missed Idaho (he was calling others)
VE/VO  34  8/14 missed VE4,8,9, VO2 VY1 VY0
NA DX  17  12 (plus W/VE)
SA      4   4 CE CX HC PJ2 (heard P4, ZY wkg EU)
EU    121  41 Some EU stations were S8 on my meter
AF      4   4 6W CN CT3 EA8
OC      2   1 KH6 (KH6LC was under a BC spur on 1820 and barely readable)

Total 526 Q's 56 W/VE 67 DXCC for 123 Mults = 283,023 points in 18 hours

Tom N4KG in North Alabama


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